Fishing at Washes Lake, Frontenac County, Ontario

• Overview

  Washes Lake lies in Frontenac County, in Ontario. The bank gives way to pine and birch. It covers about 3 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Frontenac County list holds plenty of bigger water. Nearest town is Sharbot Lake, 30 km off. Tweed is 52 km and Madoc 56 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Washes Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Frontenac County cover pumpkinseed, bluegill, rock bass, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Washes Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 19°C and January reads -11°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That shapes the year on Washes Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Little Mississagagon Lake, 0.8 km out. For Washes Lake in particular, ask before you travel.